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Rhode Island to stand against bigotry and hatred

Please join WaterFire on Sunday, September 3rd, for a show of community wide solidarity against the bigotry and hatred. We are gathering at 7:15 at the RI Holocaust Memorial in Memorial Park to show support for the Memorial, but to also reaffirm our commitment that hate will not divide our community. Roger Williams founded Providence to be a haven for all those persecuted for reasons of conscience and we must actively be on vigil to assure that his promise is kept.

WaterFire Ignites Rhode Island is a radio show underwritten by National Grid and supported by Emery’s Catering. It is hosted this week by Bronwyn Dannenfelser and Barnaby Evans with special guest Reverend Richard Dannenfelser.

Podcast: RI stands against bigotry and hatred

Bronwyn and Barnaby welcomed leaders from around the state to discuss the importance of the entire community being united to preserve the civic virtues of ensuring equality and tolerance in the wake of the demonstrations in Charlottesville.

Pauline Getzoyan and Esther Kalajian from the RI Holocaust and Genocide Education Committee join us to discuss their work on the new curriculum that focuses on teaching all RI students about these issues. Ms. Getzoyan and Ms. Kalajian produced “A Journey from Despair to Hope: The Story of the Armenian Americans of Rhode Island” in 2011 with the Genocide Education Project, which is an additional resource for this larger effort. The curriculum looks at the full range of intolerance and expands from the Holocaust to look at the Armenian and Cambodian experiences and also the civil rights struggles of Native Americans and African Americans.

Next we are joined by James Vincent, President of NAACP Providence, to discuss the long arc of the civil rights struggle in the United States and the focus and efforts of the NAACP to promote tolerance and battle racism. Robb Dimmick of Stages of Freedom rounds out the hour to discuss their mission of creating programming focused on the lives of Black Rhode Islanders and to enriching the experience of all inner city youth. Stages of Freedom’s new headquarters and gallery is located at 10 Weybosset Street just off Memorial Blvd will be open this Sunday until 9:30pm.